


TokiMeki Crisis

by jaws_3



Category: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Genre: Emu has a crush and he sure does... uh. deal with it, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, cheesiness ahoy, follows whole series so spoilers that way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 10:33:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19060882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaws_3/pseuds/jaws_3
Summary: The heart wants what the heart wants and frankly, Emu’s heart is just plain old embarrassing.





	TokiMeki Crisis

**Author's Note:**

> maybe one day my fics will end up how I want them. today is not that day

Emu is pretty sure he has a crush. It’s either a crush or the stomach flu. He’s not sure, but hardly feels like he’s to blame, as Kujou Kiriya has been throwing off his equilibrium ever since he strolled into Emu’s office and thrown a tight, tight arm around his shoulder.

Logically, Emu knows that Kiriya is several different brands of dangerous. Despite having no previous relationship, Kiriya knew of M, an identity which Emu may not _hide_ , but definitely one he didn’t exactly showcase. He also lied to him, multiple times, and manipulated Emu in a variety of ways, proving himself to a man who worked only for his own goals.

(Which were anyone’s guess.)

Yes. Logically, Emu knows this.

However, despite understanding this all on a very intellectual level, his heart seemed to be operating on a much different level. A level more comparable to a high schooler meeting their idol, or a child giggling at a beautiful pastry shop worker. His heart seemed to only enjoy focusing on things like, oh he’s so handsome and he smells really nice and when he smiles at me I—

Emu flushes and shakes his head, hoping to fling such ridiculous thoughts out of his ears. When this doesn’t work, he groans and leans forward and attempts to rub the red from his cheeks. He’s still not rewarded.

Logically, Emu has always known Kiriya to be a threat. But that sure doesn’t stop him from trusting him again each time. Each experience only proving Kiriya views him as nothing more than a pawn in this game of chess he sees their lives. It should be infuriating, but something about it always makes Emu pause.

His heart reminds him of Kiriya’s smile, all teeth, and the honest ( _honest_ ) feelings Emu got from it the first time they clasped hands and promised to be friends. He remembers the smile Kiriya gave after they discovered his lie about Dan Kuroto being the dark Ex-Aid.

He remembers how it didn’t light up his eyes in the same way.

Emu lets his head fall forward and slam into the table in front of him, whimpering quietly at the pain it brings.

There’s something _good_ in Kiriya that Emu can’t let go of and he feels like it’s surely going to kill him.

—  

Emu is almost 100% sure he has a crush.

It feels like a crush—flushed face, sweaty palms, smiles that are too big for the situation, and a stuttering heartbeat whenever the object of his affections stood too close—but it could also be a panic attack. People could smile during a panic attack, right?

He’s distracted from his thoughts when Kiriya throws a warm, warm arm tight over his shoulders and speaks so close Emu can almost feel his breath.

(It’s dizzying.)

Kiriya’s shorter than he is, so Emu doesn’t fully understand the older man’s penchant for tugging him in close and Emu constantly has to fight the thought of, “It’d be really easy to kiss him this way.” whenever he does. At least with the two of them on the same side it’s a little less distracting. Maybe more distressing. It’s hard to keep thoughts straight when Kiriya’s smiling at him.  

(It’s okay, Kiriya forcibly spins him free of any distractions.)

Emu nearly stumbles, his feet have never really worked in his favour, but the same strong hold that turned him also keeps him standing, Kiriya’s hand a persistent heat on his shoulder. And when he shoves him forward, Emu immediately turns back to him with a bright promise to prove himself. A promise that earns him a wide and handsome smile that Emu can’t help but return, though he fears his probably more goofy than “handsome”.

Words come to him, words that are incredibly embarrassing like, “Then I’ll show you I can take care of your smile too!” or equally cheesy. He doesn’t say them. Doesn’t let himself. He just keeps smiling, tangling his nervous fingers in his long white coat and watches Kiriya wave and walk away.

They’re on the same side now. Feelings were okay… right?

—

Emu is know completely sure it’s a crush.

(It’s just too bad it’s for a dead man.)

His fingers tremble as they hold onto the gamer driver, remembering the feeling of Kiriya’s hands clasped over them, and the rain feels colder than it’s ever felt before. Emu’s sure he’s crying, but he can’t get any proper sobs out. Whimpers and hiccups are the only things able to crawl out of his throat.

He doesn’t move, not registering the ache in his knees or the suffocating feeling of his heavy coat dragging down his shoulders. Asuna has to be the one to gently tap his back and move him to a standing position, guiding him back to the CR. He doesn’t know where Hiiro and Taiga are, they’ve moved on before him, but Emu finds he doesn’t really care.

Back in the CR, collapsed in one of the chairs, Emu stares at Kiriya’s driver held tightly in his hands.

_He was smiling_. Emu thinks. _He was smiling when he died_.

Maybe Emu should be proud. Maybe he was successful in his goal of bringing Kiriya’s true smile back for good. But he’s soaked, lost, and half in love with a dead man, so he brings the gamer driver close to his chest and cries instead.

—

Emu stumbles through his feelings for the next few months. With nothing ever being properly realized—with nothing ever being properly _mourned_ —it’s hard to grasp onto anything. Or to let anything go. He’s caught in a tide that drags him under and pushes him up, giving him barely enough room to breathe, let alone get out. But he continues on.

Even the sea must rest eventually.

—

If Emu hadn’t been sure of his feelings _before_ , feeling his heart slowly shatter at the (New? Old?) Kiriya before him would have definitely been an excellent clue.

The ocean’s stench clings to him and Emu has to wonder why he always seems to be drenched when Kiriya’s in the middle of breaking his heart. There’s salt on his lips and tongue and coursing through his veins, burning the blood beneath his skin.

He never knew someone’s return could be so painful.

When Kiriya yanks him up by the collars of his doctor’s coat, Emu doesn’t have the strength to fight him. When Kiriya yanks him in even closer, Emu blearily wonders if he’s about to kiss him.

He doesn’t—unfortunately—but he gives Emu something even sweeter.

He gives him back his trust.

(He really needed to stop believing in Kiriya’s lies.)

—

If Kiriya keeps sending him such dazzling smiles, Emu is pretty sure he’s going to walk into a wall.

He won’t say he’s in love, love is too big an emotion to have when they’re trying to stop a man from destroying the world via a video game, but he will say he might enjoy Kiriya’s arm around his shoulder more than someone who is “just a friend” should.

He claims it’s innocent, even when Parad sets him with unimpressed looks whenever Kiriya leans in farther than necessary to talk to Emu about this or that. With their connection, Parad is more knowledgeable than either of them would like on the pitiful stutterings of one Houjou Emu’s heart.

He tries to help at least, in his own way, one day asking if Emu wanted him to go ask Kiriya about his feelings. Parad looks so unbothered by it. Unembarrassed. And not at all understanding of why Emu suddenly trips over his own feet, slamming his elbow into one of the CR’s chairs on his way down, before frantically throwing himself back to his feet shouting, “No!”

Emu’s isn’t five. He doesn’t need someone, who is essentially his younger brother, to go asking his crush, “Do you like Emu? Pick ‘yes’ or ‘no’.”

Besides, surely Kiriya had more important things to do then have a _crush_.

—

Kiriya has a crush on him.

Maybe it was the fleeting touches that were too unnecessary to be anything but deliberate that made Emu catch on, or the conversations that veered so far into flirting territory that they had to be interrupted by Parad asking if they could go get food in order to come back into anything resembling professional. Maybe it was all the little things.

Or maybe it’s the fact Kiriya is kissing him. It’s a pretty big indicator after all.

Kiriya had invited Emu for dinner, to discuss some of his vaccine work, but as soon as they sat at the quaint little ramen stall, their conversation had touched on almost every topic but. Reminiscing on their first meeting, their first goodbye, and all the other firsts (and seconds) in between.

Later, when Emu admits how hard it had been to hear Kiriya tell him he had lost hope in him, Kiriya goes solemn, tightly squeezing Emu’s hand in his own. Emu doesn’t remember when they started holding hands but he tries not to get too distracted by it.

Kiriya walks him home after, with both hands, unfortunately, stowed in the pockets of his ripped jeans. The night air is cool but comforting, and they find an easy silence in it. When they reach his door, Emu awkwardly plays with the hem of his shirt and almost jokes about this being a date, but then Kiriya is softly touching his cheek, just enough to catch his attention, and then sliding his hand to curl around the back of Emu’s neck, guiding him down.

Emu’s eyes are wide open through the entirety of their first kiss. And their second, that happens soon after. Oddly enough, his eyes screw shut for the third, when Kiriya presses in hard, deepening the kiss, and Emu throws his hand back to desperately try and open his apartment door, missing the handle several times before he actually manages to get it open and send them stumbling through it.

(The next morning he greets one of his neighbours and she just grins and points to her own neck, to indicate something left on his, before congratulating him and walking away. Emu’s face gets so hot he wonders he could cook an egg on it.)

—

Emu’s in love. He knows it.

Kiriya’s sprawled in his bed, the morning light just beginning to colour his features a pale blue, and his mouth is agape and he’s snoring loudly. Emu has to stifle a giggle so he doesn’t risk waking his lover so early.

Emu watches him for a short while, but when he gently traces the bridge of Kiriya’s nose, the man gives a snort and wakes himself up. His eyes are bleary when they search out the culprit, and when they focus on him, Emu smiles and wishes him a soft good morning.

“‘S too early for good morning,” Kiriya grumbles out, eliciting a small laugh from his partner, before rolling to his side and tugging Emu into his chest. “Go back to sleep.”

Emu obliges, breathing in the other’s scent before drifting off. He smells like Emu’s soap and laundry detergent, and Emu reminds himself to ask when Kiriya was going to properly move in.

(He hadn’t gone back to his place in almost three weeks, after all.)

—

“Hey,” Kiriya says, shades pulled slightly down his face that he angles towards Emu, “Let’s get married.”

They’re at the beach, lounging on a pier after going on a spur of the moment motorbike ride after work. The suns about to set, and the orange glow makes Kiriya look stunning.

“What?” Emu replies dumbly, pausing to take in Kiriya’s words before laughing and brushing it off. Kiriya keeps his gaze on him however, his smile softer than usual.

“I mean it, Ace. Let’s take this ride together.”

Emu meets his gaze, and upon seeing the sincerity that’s glowing brightly, immediately bursts into tears. It ruins the moment, unfortunately, Kiriya panicking a bit, reaching out to bring Emu in for a hug as Emu blubbers and tries to explain that he’s _happy_ , he’s also just overwhelmed by said happiness. Kiriya understands, but teases him regardless.

He doesn’t have a ring, but he kisses the finger on Emu’s hand that will wear one eventually and grins so proudly that Emu can’t even be mad at the fact the proposal was completely unplanned.

(It’s works best for them anyways.)

—

Emu’s in love. In love with a man who loves him back. In love with a man who loves him more than Emu ever thought possible. And when asked a very important question, Emu has never been so sure of his answer.

“I do.”

**Author's Note:**

> gently folds hands in front of me  
> hello
> 
> I think this was mostly me experimenting briefly with an old style of mine. I don't hate it but if I wanted to change it it'd have to be completely revamped and probably 3 more k so ya kno we just gone go with this. 
> 
> I really really like the marriage proposal... maybe I'll do a fic just on that one day.... for now the kiriemu tag just needs MORE so here u go 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it!! I might end up taking it down or doing.. smth else w it but for now... have some fluff.


End file.
